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LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 



020 953 107 



GttTH Congress, \ SENATE. J Document 

1st Session. J 1 No. 494. 



TRANSPORTATION OF RELIEF SUPPLIES TO POLAND. 



MESSAGE 

FROM THE 



PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES, 

TRANSMITTING, 

IN RESPONSE TO A SENATE RESOLUTION OF JUNE 1, 1916, A 
REPORT OF THE SECRETARY OF STATE RELATIVE TO THE 
ATTITUDE OF THE BELLIGERENT GOVERNMENTS OF EUROPE 
TOWARD THE SHIPMENT OF SUPPLIES AND OTHER NECESSA- 
RIES OF LIFE TO THE SUFFERING PEOPLE OF POLAND. 



July 12, 1916.— Read, referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations, and ordered to 

be printed. 



To THE Senate: 

In response to the resolution adopted by the Senate on May 31 
(calendar day, June 1), 1916, requesting the President to furnish in- 
formation relative to the transportation of relief supplies to Poland, 
if the furnishing of such information is not incompatible with the 
]iublic interest, I transmit herewith a report by the Secretary of 
State on this subject. 

The report of the Secretary of State has my approval. . 

WooDROw Wilson. 
The White House, 

WasJiington, July 12, 1916. 



In the Senate op the United States. 
May 31 (calendar day, June 1), 1916. 

Resolved, That the President be, and he is hereby, requested to furnish to the 
"Senate information as indicated below, if not incompatible with the public interests. 

First. What is the present attitude of the belligerent governments concerning the 
-'upment of food supplies and other necessaries of life to the suffering people of Poland? 
i >o the belligerents permit such supplies to be sent without interruption or delay 
irom the United States to Amsterdam or any other neutral port in Europe? 



T62/i- 



2 TRANSPORTATIO]!^ OF RELIEF SUPPLIES TO POLAND. 

Second. If the belligerent Governments make limitations or conditions or require 
guaranties from each other, what are the conditions and restrictions, and what are 
file terms of the guaranties tlius required? 

Third. What action, if any, have said belligerents taken toward giving the guaranties 
that may have been required? 

Fourth. To what committees or authority in Poland may supplies be forwarded and 
«ondgned? 

Fifth. To what extent is the actual work of relief in Poland being carried on and un- 
der whose supervision and control? 

Sixth. What are the facts at the present time as to the shipment, transportation, 
receipt, and distribution of supplies? Can these proceedings be taken or are they 
delayed bv pending negotiations with the countries involved or either of them? 

Attest: ■ 

'James M. Baker, Secretary. 



The President: 

The undersigned, the Acting Secretary of State, to whom was 
referred the resolution adopted b}^ the Senate of the United States 
on May 31 (calendar day, June 1), 1916, requesting the President to 
furnish information relative to the transportation of relief supplies 
to Poland, if the furnishing of such information is not incompatible 
with the public interest, has the honor to report as follows upon this 
matter : 

On May 22 the department received through the American am- 
bassador at London a printed memorandum from the British foreign 
office stating the terms upon which the allied Governments would 
permit and assist in furnishing transportation of supplies for the 
relief of the civilian population of Poland. (A copy of this memo- 
randum is hereto annexed.) 

On May 24 the American ambassador at London notified the de- 
partment that he had transmitted copies of this inemorandum to 
tlie American ambassadors at Berlin and Vienna. 

The department on May 24 notified the American ambassador at 
Berlin and the American ambassador at Vienna to deliver to the 
Governments to which they were respectively accredited a cop}^ of 
this memorandum and to ascertain their attitude. 

On May 31 the department received a cablegram (a copy of which 
fe hereto annexed) from the American ambassador at Berlin, stating 
tlie terms of the agreement which he thought Germany, would make 
Tielative to' relief supplies for Poland. 

In a supplemental telegram dated June 13 the American ambassa- 
dbr at Berlin reports that the foreign office has stated to him that 
the conditions proposed in his telegram (received May 31) are en- 
tirefy acceptable to the German Government. 

On June 2 the department quoted by cablegram to the American 
ambassadors at London, Paris, and Petrograd, the cablegram received 
May 31 from the American ambassador at Berlin, and instructed them 
to ascertain and report as to the attitude of the Governments to 
which they were accredited on the position of the German Govern- 
ment relative to this matter. 

On June 20 the department received a cablegram (a copy of which 
is hereto annexed) from the American ambassador at Petrograd, 
stating that the Russian Government declined to pass upon the pro- 
posed plan before conferring with the allies, but positively objected 
to 150,000 soldiers bein^ maintained in Poland. 

On June 15 the American ambassador at London received a note 
from the British foreign office (a copy of which is hereto annexed) 

D. oi' j> = 
AUG 8 1916 



■ \ TRANSPORTATION OF RELIEF SUPPLIES TO POLAND. S 

replying to the German counterproposals relative to relief work in 
Poland. On July 5 the department instructed the American am- 
bassador at Berlin by cable to present the substance of this note to 
the German Government and to attempt to ascertain its attitude 
relative thereto. 

The department has as yet received no reply to the cablegram sent 
to the American ambassador at Paris relative to the German counter- 
proposals. 

On June 17 the department received a cablegram from the xVmericari 
ambassador at Vienna, in reply to its cablegram of May 24, stating that 
the Austrian under secretary of foreign affairs had promised to hasten 
the reply of the military authorities on the whole question, of relief 
in Poland, Serbia, Montenegro, and Albania. 

On July 7 the department sent an identic cablegram to the Ameri- 
can ambassadors to Austria, France, Germany, Great Britain, and 
Russia, a copy of which is hereto annexed. 

It thus appears that both the allies and the central powers have 
made propositions as to the terms under which relief supplies may be 
sent to Poland; that there arc important differences in the terms of 
the two proposals; and that the' State Department is endeavoring 
to induce the allies and the central powers to agree upon some plan 
which will permit the sending of relief supplies to Poland. 

Respectfully submitted. 

Frank L. Polk, 
Acting Secretary of State, 

Department- OF State, 

Washington, July 10, 1916. 



On the 21st of February last the United States ambassador communicated to Sir E, 
Grey a memorandum embodying the following proposals for affording relief to Poland: 

"There are approximately 15,000,000 people in the German occupied eastern area, 
including Russian Poland and western Russia. Of this population between 3,500,000 
and 4,000,000 people are concentrated in, or in the immediate neighborhood of , the 
cities of Warsaw, Lodz, Schenzochow., Vilna, Kovno, and Bella Ettap. 

"In order to handle the problem of provision from a practacst"]50isrt)f view, and at 
the same time with proper safeguard as to all the international phases in the matter, 
the following basis is proposed : 

""1. The American commission shall undertake the reA-ictualing of the aboA'e- 
mentioned cities only. 

"The German Government to undertake to furnish to the cities above mentioned 
a supply which will cover a ration of — 

400 grams of potatoes per diem per capita. 

10 grams of salt per diem per capita. 

10 grams of sugar per diem jier capita. 

3 grams of tea per diem per capita. 

"The American commission to import cereals to an amount which will afford a 
ration of 340 grams per diem per capita of wheat, or beans, peas, rice, maize; alse 
with 40 grams of fats per diem per capita, and a moderate amount of condensed 
milk for children. 

"2. That the German Government shall undertake to revictual the whole of the 
balance of the population in the occupied territory. 

"3. The German Government will undertake to devise financial means for the 
provision of gold exchange abroad to pay for the foodstuffs purchased by the American 
commission. The allies to give necessary permits for these financial operations by 
the commission. 

"4. The German Government will make the necessary arrangements to turn over 
to the commission sufficient German shipping to do the entire transportation from 
North America or other places to Danzig. 



4 TRANSPORTATIOX OF RELIEF SUPPLIES TO POLAND. 

"5. Tlie rovittualling to last only until the 1st of October, at which time the new 
harvest will take care of the entire civilian population. 

"6. The German Government to undertake that there shall be no interference 
with the imported foodstuffs; that they will be consumed absolutely by the native 
civilian population: that the American commission will be furnished e^ery facility 
for the control of the entire revictualling of the cities in question, including the 
German contribution to the ration. 

"7. In order to carry out the above it will be necessary to import approximately 
40,000 tons of foodstuffs per month. It is proposed that such portion of these food- 
stuffs as go to the well-to do population should be sold, and in this particular the 
German Government is prepared to give free railway transport over the occupied 
areas and one-half -raihvay rates over the German State Railroads. It is proposed 
to provision the destitute without cost." 

His Majesty's Governuieiit at once referred the question of principle involved in 
these proposals to the Russian ( iovernmeiit, who have now accepted it. His Majesty's 
Government are accordingly pieparcd to agree to the immediate inauguration of the 
above arrangement, provided that the German and Austro-Hungarian Governments 
are prepared to give certain assurances. In assenting in principle to the grant of 
relief to a territory occupied by the enemy, in spite of the statements recently pub- 
lished by the German authorities that they are in reality able to relieve the Polish 
population unaided, His Majesty's Government feel that they have made a concession 
in return for wMch they have a right to demand that their enemies shall now at 
length place beyond doubt their intentions toward the populations of occupied 
territories whose treatment by them in the past has been so much at variance with the 
responsibilities of civilized warfare and the dictates of humanity. The assurances 
required are as follows: 

1. The scheme submitted by the United States ambassador relates only to that 
part of Russian Poland at present in the occupation of the German f.rces. His 
Majesty's Government consider it essential that any system of Polish relief should 
apply to Russian Poland as a whole, and they can not recognize the existing division 
into two spheres, occupied respectively by German and Austro-Hnngarian troops. 
There must be a definite undertaking by the two govenaments that the export from 
the whole of Russian Poland of all foodstuffs, native or imported, will be absolutely 
prohibited, and that any excess oyer domestic needs which may exist in the southern 
part under Austrian administration (which is understood to be self-supporting) will 
be employed exclusively for the provisioning of northern Poland, whether such 
foodstuffs are utilized to supply the towns under the care of the relief commission or 
the country districts to be revictualed by the German Government. 

2. It is understood from a document which has been communicated to His Majesty's 
Government by Mr. "Walcott, of the Rockefeller Foundation, and of which a copy is 
annexed to this memorandum, that the German authorities in northern Poland under- 
take that all food supplies originating in Poland shall be used exclusively for the 
civil population and the constabiilary. His Majesty's Government can not admit that 
the constabulary shoi Id be allowed to use native foodstuffs which have subsequently 
to be replaced by supplies imported by the relief commission. They must therefore 
request that in this respect the constabulary should be placed on the same footing as 
the occupying army. 

3. Froni the same document it appears that the German authorities wish to export 
from Poland any excess of the potato su])ply. As a result of the experience which 
they have gained in connection with P.elgian relief, His Majesty's Government are 
most reluctant to agree to the exi)irtati ai from Ru3«ian Poland of so-called excess 
supplies, since the c|uesti- 'U of what constitutes an excess is largely a matter of opinion. 
Nevertheless, in order not to pr-iLiug the negotiations, His Majesty's (.Joveniment agree 
to the export of potatoes at such times and so long as, in the opinion of the neutral 
relief authorities, an excess supply in fact exists over and above the requirements of 
the whole of Russian Poland. 

4. The German vessels mentioned under paragraph 4 of Mr. Page's proposal must 
fly a neutral flag, be under the sole control of a neutral body to be agreed upon, be 
manned by neutrals, and be run entirely at the expense of "the German authorities. 

5. It shoidd be understood that the responsibility of the German Government is 
not ended by the supply of the partial ration mentioned in the above scheme of relief. 
His Majesty's Govenmient can not undertake to allow the relief commission to import 
more than a minimum supplementary ration over and above the maximum which the 
enemy are in a position to supply at av'V given time. 

(). the neutral relief authorities in Poland must enjoy absolutely free and unfet- 
tered facilities for tlie communication to their London office of any data connected 
with their work. They must have every facility to satisfy themselves of the manner 



TEANSPORTATION OF RELIEF SUPPLIES TO POLAND. 

in which the undertakings of the German and Austro-Hungarian Governments are 
being carried out in all parts of Poland . It is, of course, understood that the ' ' German 
relief officer for the civil population " mentioned in the inclosed memoranduni l)efore 
alluded to shall have no control of any kind over and shall in no wise interfere with 
the complete discretion of the American commission or its representatives. 

7. The German and Austro-Hungarian Governments should undertake, as a part 
of the present arrangement, adequately to supply and care for the populations of 
Serbia, Albania, and Montenegro, all of which countries are now l^eing reduced to a 
state of starvation through the removal or the use by the occupying forces of the 
supplies of native foodstuffs. The carrying out of this undertaking should be under 
the supervision of neutral subjects or organizations in those countries. 

His Majesty's Government trust that the above proposals, which represent merely 
the renouncement of indefensible practices and assurances for the due respect of the 
lives and rights of the population of occupied territories in the future, will meet with 
the prompt acceptance of the German and Austro-Hungarian Governments, so that the 
necessary preliminary arrangements may be made without delay. 

Foreign Office, May 10, 1916. 

(Inclosure.) 

DRAFT CiUARANTIES SKETCHED BETWEEN MR. WALCOTT, OF THE ROCKEFELLER FOUN- 
DATION, AND THE GERMAN AUTHORITIES IN POLAND. 

In the event that the Commission for Relief in Belgium shall be able to assist in the 
"ravitaillement" of Poland, the following principles are agreed to by the German 
Government: 

1 . The Americans have the right of control in exact agreement with the convention 
arranged for the north of France and [or] Belgium. 

2. The German authorities pledge themselves that all the food supplies introduced 
by the Americans shall be applied exclusively to the use of the civil population, and 
distributed according to the methods now obtaining in north of France and [or] Bel- 
gium. 

The distribution is to be made through the Polish local committees under the 
supervision of the American representatives or delegates and the German relief officer 
for the civil population. 

3. The German authorities guarantee that all food supplies originating in Poland 
shall be used exclusively for the civil population and the constabulary. Excepted 
from the above are surplus potatoes left after the needs of the civil population and 
constabulary have been completely covered. The constabulary is requii^d to pay 
cash marks "or equivalent for whatever foodstuffs they purchase or requisition at a fair 
market price. The allowance of potatoes per capita per day for the population in 
determining this surplus is to be at least 400 grams per day. 

4. The German authorities guarantee that the transportation of the imported Amer- 
ican food supplies destined for the General Government of Poland, the Etapp of Biala 
and the Government of Wilna shall be sliipped from Dantzig to the German frontier 
at one-half rate, and without charge from the German Polish frontier to its destination 
in Poland or the Etapp. 

The above guaranties are given by — 

The General Government of Poland. 

The Government of Wilna. 

The Government of Biala Etapp. 

Oberst Schall. 
Brussels, February 11, 1916. 

Beriix, May S'\ 1916. 
Secretary of State, Washiniitov: 

Have had conference to-day with Geheimrat Lewald, representing interior depart- 
ment: Geheimrat Grunewalt,' representing foreign office: Prince Lubecki, of Polish 
committee; and DonoA^an and Stoever, of Rockefeller Commission. Germany can not 
accept the proposition as made by England, because, first, Germany can contract only 
as to Polish territory in her own "control. However, in my opinion there is no doubt 
but arrangement similar to one outlined below can be made with Austria. Please 
note that all towns named are in territory occupied by Germany. 

Second. Germany can not make question of relief of Poland dependent on Germany 
and Austria relieving Servia, Montenegro, and Albania, since Germany is not in 
control of those countries. 



6 TEA^^SPORTATION OF EELIEF SUPPLIES TO POLAND. 

I think an arrangement I'ollomne: lines can be made: 

First. Tlie arrangement to apply to all Polish territory o'^'cupiod by Germany, 
commencing 50 kilometers back of "firing line. 

Second. Germany will gi\e to inhabitants of cities to be relieved the ration proposed . 

Third. Germany will undertake the remainder of population outside will be fed. 

I'ourth. It is necessary that occupying or police array of about 150.000 men be fc' 
onfood l)ought in Poland. These troops are sometimes 10 or 15 in a village and difl 
culties of trarisprirt makes this neces.sary. 

Fifth. Propisition as to ships accepted. 

Sixth, (icrmany will arrange to paj' for goods wherever bought anrl their transpor 

Seventh. Germany agrees to proposition that excess potatoes shall be exporte 
only when commission agrees and that no food is to be exported from Poland and use 
except as above stated . Pro\asions as to details of control can be arranged . German 
is ^^^lling to accept control as stated in contract signed by Geheimrat Lewald, D 
Bicknell, and me in April, 1915. 

Will get details as to numbers of occupying police army and how many in towi 
and how many in country. 

Gerard, Berlin. 



Petrogr.\d, Juni' 15, 191'.. 
Seckf.i'arv of State, Washington: 

Just had audience with Sazonoff, which requested June 6, concerning Polan 
relief. Delay caused by his absencfe. Declines passing on proposed plan before coi 
ferring with allies. Furthermore, positively objects to 150,000 soldiers or anythir 
near that number being maintained in Poland. Sent Dearing to Sazonoff's assistar 
daring the minister's absence June 10, but was told Sazonoff would pass on questio 
himself. Please advise embassy further developments. 

Francis, 
Amerkan Amhasmdor, Petrograrl. 



Foreign Office, June 15, 1916. 
His excellency the honorable W. H. Page. 

My Dear Ambassador: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your letter 
of June 2, in which you are good enough to communicate the reply received from the 
German Government to the proposals of his Majesty's Government for the relief of 
Poland. 

The phrase somewhat loosely used in this reply as to the arrangement being made "to 
apply to all Polish territory occupied by Germany, commencing 50 kilometers back of 
the firing line, " is, .1 suppose, intended to allude only to the responsibility assumed by 
the German Government to feed this area, and does not imply an attempt on the part 
of the German Government to extend the importations of foodstuffs to be made by the 
American commission to any other districts but the cities specified in the original 
proposal which you handed to me, and in my reply. His Majesty's Government could 
not. of course, for a moment consider importations to other destinations besides those 
towns; I)Ut I do not know whether His Majesty's Government are to understand that 
the German Government intend to allow the population within 50 kilometers of the 
firing line to starve. 

I do not think it is necessary, at this, point in the discussions, to enter into any 
detailed analysis of the German reply, and I will confine myself to the two points of 
primary importance raised in it. 

The German Government disclaims any responsibility for the relief of Servia, 
Montenegro, and Albania on the ground that it is the Aust'ro-Hungariau Government 
wliich is in i-ontrol of those countries. I can not accept this disclaimer, knowing to 
what extent the policy of the central empires is controlled by the German Govern- 
ment and knowing that it is therefore not a question of the German Government exert- 
ing its "good offices " with the Austro-Uungarian Government, but of the two Govern- 
ments jointly assimiing a responsibility toward the population whose territory has 
been invaded by their joint armies. Nothing short of a binding engagement of this 
kind, which the central powers are perfectly able to give, can satisfy the Governments 
of tlie allies, who in this matter arc only asking for the same measure of joint action on 
the part of their enemies which they themselves have already taken in their consulta- 
tions and their decision upon this question of Polish relief. 



TEAXSPOETATION OF RELIEF SUPPLIES TO POLAND. 7 

The second point is, to my mind, of even greater importance. The German Gov- 
ernment disclaims responsibility for the Polish territory occupied by Austria on the 
ground that that territory is not within the sphere of Germany's control. The Gov- 
ernments of the allies regard Poland as a wliole and they can not allow the f-^te of its 
'^ipulation and the question of life and death whether that population shall or shall not 
_^ie of hunger, to be parceled out between Germany and Austria, each country claiming 
*^part of Poland in connection with their political schemes for the future, and each dis- 
' aiming responsibility for the part occupied by the other. Until there is agreemenf 
atween the Governments of the central Empires to throw the resources of the whole 
juntry into one, and to give to the Poles, as Poles, the produce of the soil of their own 
; buntry, the Governments of the allies can not move. This is a question of principle, 
['ut even were it not so the conduct of tbe Austro-Hungarian Government, as it is 
■developing at the present moment in southern Poland, would make it impossible for 
''^Is Majesty's Government to leave that region out of account in the scheme of relief, 
■'annex hereto a copy of an order issued by the Austrian governor general of Lublin 
hich throws sufficient light on the methods of coercion and the intentions of exploi- 
-bfton which the Austrian Government are employing and cherishing. 
For the rest, we must adhere to our original demands, which I still believe would be 
:cepted as reasonable if the German and Austrian Governments were sincere, and I 
in only trust that the efforts of the United States representatives in enemy countries 
ad of the representatives of the American relief organizations will soon elicit a more 
itisfactory reply from the Governments of the central Empires. 
Believe me, my dear ambassador, 
Yours, sincerely. 

--( 

'i The royal imperial and military governor general of Lublin has published the 
I allowing announcement: 

"/''In May when the spring work in the fields will be practically completed the 
ilitary administration will begin work within the territory administered by it on 
'le building of roads and on the Vistula. Numerous laborers will be used for this 
'urpose. The military administration will summon them from among the local 
ipulation and form them into labor detachments, each of which will be employed 
) far as possible within its own village or its neighborhood. It will, however, be 
apossible to avoid the employment of some detachments in other districts of the 
government than their own. It is, however, to be clearly understood that all labor 
detachments will be used exclusively within the territory of the Government of 
Poland in Austro-Hungarian occupation. As need may arise all men fit for work 
will be called upon. The only exception will be those to whom the district authori- 
ties may grant exemption in consideration of their profession or for other weighty 
reasons, in accordance with instructions issued to them. In case of need also women 
will be employed, provided they come forward of their free will. The workmen will 
be properly paid and fed. 

"The attention of the population is hereby drawn in advance to the forthcoming 
order, and to its purpose, so that no one should give credence to false rumors. As 
work is concerned which will be of considerable economic advantage to the entire 
country, and in connection with wliich each particular workman will find a sufficient 
livelihood to maintain himself and his family, the military administration expects 
that all men fit for work will apply in their own well-understood interest for inclusion 
in the labor detachments, and will in that way avoid compulsory orders. The in- 
tended works are unavoidably necessary from the military point of view, and must 
be carried out in any case. The military administration hopes that it will not be 
necessary to use compulsion. 
"Lublin, April 26, 1916. 
"For the governor general. 

"DiETRiCHSTEiN, Major General." 



[Circular.] 

July 7, 1916. 
Inform Government to which you are accredited that since the United States for 
many months, at the request of the various belligerent powers, has been acting as 
intermediary in the negotiations between the belligerents relative to a proposed 
agreement as to the terms under which relief supplies may be introduced into Poland 
and distributed therein, and since all the negotiations have so far failed to result in any 
agreement which could bring about the desired result, although all the countries 



LIBRARY OF CONGRESS I 



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TEAXSPORTATION OF EELIEF SUP 



lllllllllliillMIIIIIIIIIIIIII 

020 953 107 



interested have manifested a willingness to permit relief supplies to be sent to i oiand 
under certain specified conditions, the United States, therefore, m the name and 
interests of humanity, now appeals to all the belligerent countries to consider whether 
it is not possible for the powers on each side to make such mutual concessions m the 
terms proposed by them for the regulation of shipments of relief supphes into Poland 
as will make it possible for an agreement to be reached under wluch relief can be given 
to the suffering inhabitants of Poland. The United States is instructing its ambassa- 
dors to Austria, France, Germany, Great Britain, and Russia to communicate this 
message to the Government to which they are respectively accredited. 

Polk, Acting. 

■ To American ambassadors at London, Paris, Petrograd, Berlin, and Vienna. 

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LIBRftRY OF CONGRESS 



020 953 107 



